Veterinary mouth speculum



Oct. 19, 1937. A. A. BERZINA VETERINARY MOUTH SPECULUM Filed Oct. 7,1956 3 Sheets-Sheet l lnvenio ,4/5er7" A Eerzrh Afiorncys Oct. 19, 1937.A. A. BERZINA 2,096,033

VETERINARY MOUTH SPECULUM 7 Filed 001;. 7, 1936 s Sheets-Shee't' 2Inventor 4/5977 ,4. Fei'z/nd A Horneys Oct. 19, 193 7. A, A, BE ZINA2,096,083

VETERINARY MOUTH SPECULUM Filed Oct. '7, 1936 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 Inventorv A75er7 A. Ferzind Aiiorneys Patented Oct. 19, 1937 v assess PATENTother v VETERlNARY MOUTH Albert A. Berzina, Whitman, Nebr.

Application October 7,

2 Claims.

The present inventionrelates tonew and useful improvements in veterinarymouth speculums, and has forf its primaryobjectto ,prov'idefin a manneras he r'einafter'set' forth,,a device of this character embodying a"novel construction and arrangement. throughthe medium of which themouth'of" an'ar'iirrial, such" as a horse, may be expeditiously openedand retained in open position without danger of injury to the operator.

Another very important object of the invention is to provide aveterinary mouth speculum of the aforementioned character which willpermit the animals mouth to be opened to any desired extent within agiven range.

Other objects of the invention are to provide a veterinary mouthspeculum which will be comparatively simple in construction, strong,durable, highly eflicient and reliable in use, compact, light in weightand which may be manufactured at low cost.

All of the foregoing and still further objects and. advantages of theinvention will become apparent from a study of the. followingspecification, taken in connection with the accompanying drawingswherein like characters of reference designate corresponding partsthroughout the several views, and wherein:-

Figure 1 is a View in side elevation of the invention, showing thedevice in use.

Figure 2 is a perspective View, showing the device in closed position.

Figure 3 is a perspective view, showing the invention in open position.

Figure 4 is a detail view in perspective of the free end portion of theupper bars and the bit plate extending therebetween before the device iscompleted. 7

Figure 5 is a perspective view similar to Figure 4 but showing thisportion of the device completed.

Figure 6 is a detail View in vertical section through one of the springactuated pawls.

Figure 7 is a detail view in section, taken substantially on the line'l-1 of Figure 6.

Referring to the drawings in detail, it will be seen that the embodimentof the invention which has been illustrated comprises pairs of spacedupper and lower jaw bars 1 and 2, respectively, having oppositely curvedrear end portions which are pivotally connected together, as at 3. Thebars I and 2 are adapted to extend on opposite sides. of the animalshead. Extending between the free forward end portions of the upper barsI and the lower bars 2 and preferably integral therewith are bit plates4. As illustrated to advantage in Figures 4 and 5 of the drawings, the

1936, Serial No. 104,525 (01. 12s 14) bit plates 4, whenthe deviceisbeing'made, project forwardly beyond the jaw bars! and 2 and theseforwardly projecting portions are then formed to provide oppositelydisposed. r'o' lls It may .be well to here state that'the.,'platesi'a'nd the rolls 5 thereonfare ad'aptedfor engagement with. thevteeth'of the animal.

Rigidly mounted on the upper and lower jaw bars 2 and spaced therefromare guide bars '6 and 1, respectively. The bars I and 6 have formedtherein at longitudinally spaced points transversely aligned notches 8the purpose of which will be presently set forth.

The reference numeral 9 designates a pair of hand operated levers whichare pivotally mounted at an intermediate point, as at [9, between thebars 2 and l. The levers 9 are of substantially the curvature shown toadvantage in Figure 3 of the drawings and said levers travel between thebars I and 6. Rollers l l are journaled on the levers 9 at anintermediate point for engagement beneath the bars 6 for forcing thedevice open after it is inserted in the animals mouth. Pawls I2 areprovided on the upper ends of the levers 9 for engagement in the notchesB for releasably securing the device in open position. Referring now toFigures 6 and 7 of the drawings, it will be seen that the pawls [2 areyieldingly urged into the notches 8 by coil springs I 3 which areenclosed in said pawls. I

The reference numeral 59 designates snap hooks which are looselyconnected to the oppositely curved rear end portions of the jaw bars Iand 2. The snap hooks M are mounted on a link l5 which, in turn, ismounted on a head harness Hi. The reference numeral i1 designates a nosestrap which is connected at itsends to the rear portions of the bars 5while the reference numeral l8 designates a chin strap or chain which isconnected, at its ends, to the forward end portions of the elements 2and i.

It is thought that the operation of the device will be readily apparentfrom a consideration of the foregoing. The invention is positioned inthe animals mouth where it is securely retained by the head harness H5and the elements H and I8. Then, by grasping the lower end portions ofthe levers 9 and pulling downwardly and-forwardly thereon the pivotallyconnected upper and lower bars I and 2, respectively, will be forcedapart by the rollers H from the position shown in Figure 2 of thedrawings to that illustrated in Figure 3 or, of course, until thedesired position is reached. The construction and arrangement is suchthat the spring actuated pawls 82 will ride pastthe notches 8in'one'dlrection'hutsaid pawls '7 although a'prefe'rred embodiment ofthe device i's' I as illustrated and describedpitis to be under-- stoodthat changes in the details of construction and in the combination andarrangement or parts 20 l l v may be1;resorted to :Which willfall withinthe will seat in said'notches for releasably securing the leversSlagainst movement in'th'e opposite or forward'direction: In this mannerthe device is V 'releasablylocked in open position] 1 To permit the 7device to be closed itis only necessary to lift the pawls l2 out of thenotches 8 against'the tension 57 of the coil springs I3 Itmay he'welltohere state that the lower end portions ofthe levers!iare'formed'tofprovide' handles The'construction f and arrangement is"also such that any pulling;

force exerted on the'device by the'head harness 16 will only'tend toopen said device wider.

1 {rt is believed that the m n advantages of 1a"? speculum constructedin ac i W h i1 present inventionwill be readily understood, and

scope of the invention as ,claiinedf f What is; claimedfis:-

l A speculum" of the' clasjs described compris ing pairs ofruppenandlower jaw bars pivotally l q connected at one end portion g'uidesmounted on the upper jawbars, said upper jaw bars having otally mountedon the lowei'jaw bars and adapted longitudinally spaced'notche'stherein, levers piv i V s for swinging movement between the upper jaw 1bars and the guides, rollers journaled" on said" 1 a r leversand'eng'aged with-thegu'ide's for forcing the f Q upper jaw barsawayfrom thelower jaw bars;

and spring'actuated pawls m'ounted on' one end of the leversandengageable in: the notches iorreleasablylo'ok ing the upper and:lower jaw bars in'open'position. r

ward ends of'said bit plates engageable with the teeth ofananimal, andmeans for spreading thef upper and lower jawlbars, said means includinglevers pivotallvmounted'on the lower jaw[bars,f

rollers journaled on fsaid levers and operatively connected to the upper'jaw'bars for forcingsaid' levers andrope ratively engageable' with theupper 'jaw barsfor' releasably' securing jithe speou lumxinf openposition. j

upper jaw barsiaway from the'lower jaw bars, and l 7 spring actuatedpawls mounted on one end otfthe me f ,2; A speculum of the classdescribed compris ing upper and lower jaw bars'piv otally connectedtogether'at one end, bit platesextending between the otherendportions'ofthe upper and the lower 'jawj bars, oppositely disposedrollson the "for l

